THE DEADLY AMANITA 65 



to persons and things around them, as well as to their own suf- 

 fering. 



As the symptoms increased in violence, Thos. R. advanced into 



a state of coma, and Mrs. F. into coma vigil, and remained so for 



about twelve hours prior to death. The face 



Amanita ^^^ ^ shrunken and wrinkled appearance, the 



poisoning eyes were sunken, the skin was dusky, and the 



symptoms surface of the body was dry and cold to the 



touch. The pulse, a number of hours before 



death, was imperceptible at the wrist, and the heart-sounds were 



scarcely perceived by auscultation. 



The pulse in all cases was notably affected, ranging from 120 

 to 140 per minute. In character it was soft and compressible; 

 intermittent at intervals. 



There was a distinct rise of temperature ; the thermometer in 

 the axilla registered as much as 104° F. 



A mild form of delirium was an occasional event. In the case 

 of Mrs. F. it formed an important element. 



Respecting the special senses, it is well to mention that sight 

 was peculiarly affected. Notwithstanding the fact that the pupils 

 responded kindly to the action of the light, an unpleasant sensa- 

 tion of blindness frequently appeared, and continued for a few 

 minutes. 



In spite of all that was done to counteract its ravages, the ef- 

 fects of the poison were so extremely deadly that a fatal issue 

 was the result in two cases. Thomas R. died in fifty-six and Mrs. 

 F. in sixty-three hours after the ingestion of the toadstools. 



Treatment. — The treatment instituted was mainly symptomatic. 



Fearing that undigested particles of toadstools might still be 



lying in the gastro-intestinal tract, to Mrs. R., who had not freely 



vomited, an emetic was administered, and to 



Amanita the rest a mild purge. 



poisoning An intense thirst and a burning sensation 



treatment being present in the mouth, throat, and stomach, 

 small pieces of cracked ice were freely used with 

 a view to allaying it. 



For the gastro-intestinal irritation I prescribed with satisfactory 

 results the following : 



